Same

I think a month of meditation

I dont have “long days” no more

Loving the final section from The Book of Joy.

After covering the week spent together in 3 sections the very end is about 40 pages of "simple practices that can help overcome the obstacles to joy and support the eight pillars of joy. We have bookended this section with practices that Tibetan Buddhist monks typically do at the beginning and end of each day. The other practices can be tried on a regular basis or when needed."

There's about 20 different prayers, meditations, and practices of all different types in here. Definitely gets the Plants co-sign, whatever that's worth these days

Can anybody give an unbiased opinion on how meditation actually helped you (given you been doing it for a while) ?

Feel like this is one of those things everyone says it's good but nobody actually follows up in long run (not talking about gurus but regular folks)

it helps you control ur mind. makes you live in the present more than thinking too hard about the future/past

4 days in a row.
Slowly but surely getting consistent.
Hopefully I dont fall in the rut again

Good s*** Keep it up

sending love to you my brother
carpe diem

How do you know when you've had your fill and you're "done" meditating for the day? Do you go on until you're sick of just sitting there? Do you stop once your eyes open for some reason?

Do I just close my eyes and focus on my breathing? How important is my posture, I notice that I tend to slouch when meditating

How do I deal with thoughts? Some say you should just let them ride out but I tried this morning and it just made me think of more thoughts, was thinking of fighting Micolash in Bloodborne last night and I feel like that can't be right

Don't know if anyone has said this, but psychedelics an important tool for meditation btw. Like I naturally feel inclined to sit and meditate when I'm on them even though its not a part of my regular life. The only time I've achieved what I think is success in meditation was on psychedelics, my mind was like a calm ocean with the waves gently swaying

Beautiful scene

About to do my first one in two years.

Using this. I’ve always loved lying down body scan types of meditation.

Holy s*** just finished and ended up doing 30 mins (20 after video ended).

So. My experience after 2 years off (used to be a regular meditator).

After the first 10 minutes guided, I slipped into my own, non-agenda based or ‘focused’ 20 minutes unplanned meditation due to it just feeling right. I mainly focused on going back to my breath with both palms on my belly. Sometimes my mind would drift for 30 secs and I would always just return to the breath without judgement. If anything, I like to think of those moments where you drift and go back to breath as a little moment where you slightly strengthen your skillset - akin to a rep in the gym.

After the 15th minute or so, I started to feel that my neck was super long and that my breathing-belly-with-palms-on was really far away from my “centre” (my mind/source of my consciousness/whatever). Then I felt myself sinking and rising whilst also starting to feel that I was “breaking through” into another dimension (pretty sure I was slipping into a mini-sleep and entering into the dream state perhaps - I know a lot of people train to lucid dream this way). But then I would rescan my body and stuff. It’s amazing how you can shift your focus to the most minuscule areas of your body and completely isolate it in focus. Your brain is like a super computer.

At some points, I had uncomfortable feelings such as feeling trapped in my body while my mind started to “blend in” to the oneness of the exterior world, replete with all its vastness and s***. It was like my body was holding my mind back - no wonder philosophers back in the day always felt there was a mind/body divide. But I’ve suffered with DP/DR for years now and I just managed to shift those feelings aside (it used to cripple me when I first got DP/DR but I learnt to overcome it with lots of meditation and therapy around 2015/2016). I then began to enjoy the feeling of both mind, body and it’s place in the present moment in space and time, all while always returning to the breath and an area of focus on the body.

Towards the end, a wave of calm came over me and I’m now typing this post with a big smile on my face ready to face everything today.

you can meditate as long as u want man. Just put on a timer. Id say 5 minutes is a good starting point. i was going for 40 mins but i cut down to 20-25 due to lack of time with this new job.

yea just focus on your breath. It takes a bit of practice which is why i say to ppl start with 5 minutes. and yea just let thoughts come and go, and when they lead to more thoughts, let those come and go too.

Imo the goal of meditation isn’t to “empty your mind”. its simply to notice the present moment, and to witness firsthand that your thoughts are separated from yourself and that they dont have the power to control u, u control them. and the emptying of the mind is a byproduct of those 2 things during meditation. Thats why focusing on the breath or a mantra is the key. Its something thats always there to focus on, an anchor so to speak.

I like the mountain and cloud a***ogy: you are a mountain and thoughts are simply the clouds around it. notice the thoughts but dont entertain them. Takes some practice and consistency but it’s doable.

Thats why i said this s*** a cheat code for nofap lmfao. usually id get h**** and let that feeling control me. Now IM in control cause i notice the horniness and realize what it is and that it is just a thought.

For sure psychedelics can facilitate effective meditation. Its also the key to not having bad trips unwillingly

Ps: posture dont really matter, its purpose is to keep you awake and alert during meditation. I slouch too. As long as u dont doze off u straight

Session was asscheeks

Fell off the last few days but my spirit is telling me it’s time to return

Return g consistency is key

Todays sess was better than yesterdays

I'm trying man

I'm trying...

Been doing short sessions through the day between my usuals. Feels really good.

My consistency is coming back, and I'm starting to feel better than I have in months, despite some stressful events these past weeks.

the important thing about meditation is use it as a pivot to be mindful throughout your whole day. i dont meditate regularly even though i used to for about over a year, 18 months of 20-30 minutes a day. Take it as an opportunity to learn to be present and to most importantly detach yourself from your thoughts. Allow yourself to be aware without judgement. Don't feed into s***. Simply doing that is meditating.

Peace